Fitness trackers have become a huge accessory in many people’s lives. Their main purpose is to help with weight loss, but a new research may have discovered that they may not be helping as much as we thought, Cosmopolitan reports.
In the study, which was published in the medical journal JAMA, researchers tracked weight loss among 500 adults and asked them to follow a reduced-calorie diet for two years. Six months into the program, the researches instructed half of the participants to start using fitness devices. After the full two years, they learned that the people that did not use the trackers ended up losing an average of 5 more pounds than those that did use them.
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Interesting, right?
The exact reason people without the trackers lost more weight is unclear. However, those who tracked their steps did end up moving less and may have been discouraged if they didn’t meet their goals.
If you use a fitness tracker, don’t allow it to dictate your daily maximum activity. So you hit your 10,000 steps? Great! Strive to exceed your goal or set new ones that push you to up your exercise as it becomes more comfortable.
Also, keep in mind that just because you have proof of your daily activity, you shouldn’t balance those calories burned with treats!
